That's so metal

Look: Colliding zombie stars reveal the cosmic origins of a legendary metal

Out with a bang.

by Jennifer Walter
MIT via Giphy

Photography by Mangiwau/Moment/Getty Images

Where does gold come from?

Mines, yes — but there’s an even more primitive origin point for the cherished metal.

Along with other metals, gold forms during powerful explosions in space.

Collisions involving neutron stars and black holes can also fuse heavy metals like uranium and platinum.

Anna Efetova/Moment/Getty Images
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